Assam cabinet repeals Muslim marriage act, step termed as move towards UCC

In a significant decision the Assam cabinet today repealed the Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act 1935. The decision was taken today in a cabinet meeting which was chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Later while addressing the media, cabinet minister Jayanta Mallabarua termed it as a step towards achieving Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He stated that now all matters pertaining to Muslim marriages and divorces would be taken care of under the Special Marriages Act. 

"The Chief Minister had recently stated that we are moving towards Uniform Civil Code (UCC). In this journey, a very important decision has been taken. The Assam Muslim Marriage & Divorce Registration Act 1935, under which 94 Muslim registrars are still functioning, has been repealed today. The cabinet has today ended this Act and now under this act no Muslim marriage or divorce would be registered. Since we have a Special Marriages Act, hence we want all matters settled through that particular Act," said Mallabarua. 

The cabinet minister further said that now the authority for the issue of registration of Muslim marriages and divorces would be taken up by the District Commissioner and the District Registrar. 

He also announced that the 94 Muslim registrars, who were functioning under the Act, would be discharged from their duties with a one-time compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each person. 

The cabinet minister further said that through this decision they are also taking a shot against child marriage in the state. 

"The main aim behind this has been to move towards Uniform Civil Code. And it is an Act which has been going on since the British era, which we feel has become obsolete in today's time by the government. We had also witnessed several underaged marriages registered under this particular Act. We believe this is also a step towards eradicating child marriage, which is the marriage of men under 21 years of age and women under 18 years of age," said Mallabarua. 

Apart from this, the Assam cabinet today also took a major decision to include the tribal languages of Mising, Rabha, Karbi. Tiwa, Deori and Dimasa as mediums of instruction in the fundamental or primary stage of schooling. 

"Today Assam government has included the languages of Mising, Rabha, Karbi, Tiwa, Deori and Dimasa as medium of instruction in primary education, which is still Class II, as per the new National Education Policy. This reflects the importance given in the new National Education Policy to give primacy to mother tongues in the mode of education. We believe this step will help reinvigorate these languages among the newer generations of the state," said Mallabarua. 

Meanwhile, the cabinet today also decided to give the communities of Ahoms, Koch Rajbongshis and Gorkhas the status of protected class in the Balipara Tribal Block, whereby they will be able to get priviledges in terms of buying and selling of land. 

The Assam cabinet today also declared the Manipuri language as an associate official language in the four districts of Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Hojai. 

The cabinet today also took the decision to bifurcate the Assam Agricultural University and from it a new Assam Veterinary and Fishery University would be formed. It was stated that the new Assam Veterinary and Fishery University would be formed with the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences in Guwahati's Khanapara and the the College of Fishery Science in Raha.